THREE IMPORTANT results, and a major turn in policy, indicate important political trends in Europe. They are the victory presidential election in Portugal, the victory of Gonzalez in the Spanish referendum on NATO membership, the 'unexpectedly strong showing of the French Socialist Party in the elections, and the beginning of a tactical shift by the Italian Socialist Party towards the Italian Communist Party.
ties of the Portagese right and the Com parties of the munist Party. ex-president General Eanes against the Socialist Party. In Spain, Gonzalez too defeated the main capitalist party - who had called for a boycott of the referendum -which had called for a 'no' vote. In France, Mit terrand both crushed the Communist Party -reducing its share oined vote focists as the cent - and maintained the largest electoral party against the challenge of the Gaullists. In Italy, brutal attacks on the Socialists, under Craxi, are once more taking a somewhat more conciliatory Italian Communist Party.
Taken clear politicai trend in Europe. They represent the consolidation democracy in a number of key West European countries.
The reason for this growth is not hard to find. The social democratic parties today represent the key terests of big capital in a number of West Euro pean countries. They represent an instrument for obscurantism of local sections of the capitalist class, and the development of the communist parties.
Portugal and Spain are the most extreme ex. amples. It was the government under Soares prime ministership which negotiated Portuges‹ entry into the EEC - and the government fell immediately after that entry was : dent Soares will be a guarantee of the same orientation.
Gonzalez in Spain followed essentially the same policy. His international orientation rested on two key goals: to take Spain into the EEC and to keep it in NATO. Accompanying these, from the outset he pursued austerity and attacks on the working class.
The success of Mitterrand is equally striking In 1969 the French Socialist Party was a shell, winning only five fer cent of the vote in the presidential elections of that decade and a half, first by a tactical alliance with the Communists and then by them, Mitterrand has built the Socialists into the strongest electoral party in France. Support for the EEC, for a European military build-up, and in reality (as opposed to rhetoric) for NATO is absolute.
Craxi, head of the Italian Socialists, simply wants to repeat Mitterrand's pattern. Craxi first manouvered himself to Socialist Party prime minister in Italian history itself an indication significance of the Italian social democracy for the ruling class there. From this position he proceeded to attack the Communist Party, doing an important job for the Italian capitalist class of helping block the growth of the communists. Communist Party support has not been undermined enough by this head on assault, so Craxi now aims to weaken it further by more flexible tactics.
What are the impilications of all this for Britain? Simple. The core of the 'Erosocialist' ties policy is their support for the instruments of West European capitalism.
West European capital demand subordination to the United States, the Eurosocialist parties wag their tails for Reagan. When they demand op position, the Eurosocialists snar!.
In Britain who most clearly represents the rising capitalisms of Western Europe, but David Owen, David Steel and Edward Heath. All those in fact that the Labour Party leadership has been lining Westland and British Leyland. with, While the drive to coalition politics is rooted in British conditions, its international dimension, must never be forgotton. Look across the channel observe trends of British politics.
recent of Mario Soares was a clear triumph over the The latter backed supporters of and the Communist Party Socialists as | after several years Communist Party, the attitude to the together these events represent a growth social politically expressing the inboth the fractiousness secured. PresiLa policy of rigorous year. But in an open war on becoming, the first the increased parWhen sections of tagging over some of the developing LEAVE SHOW TRIALS